A Cherry Orchard's Vintage Windmill

A few months ago, I had the privilege of working with a local family to design and paint the tail fin for their new "old" windmill. Rolling Thunder Ranch is a local cherry orchard and lilac farm in Leona Valley with a lot of character and charm already, but the installation of a vintage windmill is the "cherry" on top! It was a fun process as we worked through the various stages from designing, painting, revising, and installing the windmill. 

Seeing the remnants from the previous lettering on this tail fin that spent some time in Los Angeles adds to the history/story of this windmill. 

Here are a few photos from the day of the installation. If you'd like to see it in person, the cherries will be ready for picking this week! I'll also have a few painted windmill blades for sale at their cherry stand.  Check out their Facebook page to keep track of when they will be open. 

 

The windmill getting prepped for install. 

My boys with a front row seat to watch the windmill go up.

"The Aermotor Co." painted on one side & "Rolling Thunder Ranch" on the other. 

It was an exciting and rewarding day as friends and neighbors came together to get the work done.

See you at the orchard! 

Santa's Workshop (AKA my kitchen)

My kitchen has been overflowing with wood boards, cans of paint, and supplies for the past few weeks as I prepped for our local Christmas Craft Faire.  

This was my second year having a table at the event.  To be honest, there are a ton of emotions involved with this type of situation. There is the fun of creating new products, the excitement of having my items on display, the hope that someone there will find something that catches their eye to purchase, and a whole lot of stress! :) There is also a ton of gratitude. My dad spent hours working with me prepping windmill blades, cutting wood, and assembling sleds. I'm very tankful for such a supportive family. 

These Christmas Tree signs above are double sided with a pumpkin patch design for Fall on the other side:

  

Now to turn the "workshop" back into a kitchen...

Hope you are all enjoying the festivities this time of year brings. Many blessings to you this Christmas season.

Quick Fix on the Patio

Below is the living room on the day we moved in...

One of the first things that grabbed my attention (besides the awesome view) was the big blue plywood art installation on the back patio. We were hoping that it wasn't covering up some major flaw in the wall and it was on the "to-do" list as one of the first things to remove.

SEVEN months later the FIVE minute task was accomplished. Why did we wait so long?? 

No flaw in the wall was discovered underneath...only drywall anchors to remove and patch.

I don't mind seeing the BBQ now that the plywood is gone and curtains are installed! This corner has a much softer feel now, and it's a nice place to put your feet up. 

Don't you just love quick fixes that make such a big impact?

Progress in the Living Room...CURTAINS!

I'm happy to announce we've hung curtains and one piece of wall art!  :)

The USA map is from Cost Plus World Market. The corner got a little faded from the sun as it patiently waited in the garage to be hung on the wall. It just adds to the distressed character, right? :)

We used Ritva curtains from Ikea. I still have a few panels to add but I'm loving the way they softly frame the windows and gorgeous view of the valley beyond. 

In the picture above, you can see a little bit of the wall that separates the dining room and living room. The big blue wall is no longer as the entire space is now covered in Behr Classic Silver. 

I love the simplicity of the neutral white, black, gray backdrop. 

I can add pops of color with accessories and change them for the seasons. 

I've been placing vintage treasures around the room for both function and art.  

A Coca-Cola crate hides wires and video game equipment.

A 7-Up crate and old step ladder serve guests as an end table. 

 We are slowly making progress around here, and I'm pleased with the results so far!! 

Fall is going to be busy, but I'm hoping to scratch a few more items off of my to do list. 

6 Month Progress Report

We've been here in our new home a little more than 6 months.  We didn't have a lot of time or energy to work on improving the interior during the school year, but now it's summer and there's been a little bit of progress. I was feeling like my to-do list was endless, so I figured it was a good time to look back at what has been done rather than feel overwhelmed with what's left to do. 

Entry Way

Before

In Progress

The RED walls are gone and the trim is now white, but "Big Blue" is still among us.  These walls are huge, and I am slowly working my way around the room, one wall at a time. 

Big Blue is up next to be transformed!

Living Room

Before

In Progress

. 

These walls are deceptively larger than you might think. 

The wall you see below with windows and a slider is not your standard 8' perimeter wall. It is actually just shy of 10 feet and then it vaults up from there! I can barely reach the peak of the vaulted ceiling on an 8' ladder.

Living Room
Before

Progress

Dining Room

Before

In Progress

The lighting was difficult to work with this morning. These walls are actually gray (Classic Silver).

What I've done so far:

• Painted *most* of the walls Behr Classic Silver
• Painted the oak trim Behr Silky White to unify the trim
• Added two Ikea Hemnes bookcases to flank the TV

What's left to do:

• Hang art work on the wall (not one nail has gone in to the walls yet!)
• Hang curtain rods and curtains (I've purchased these and these!)
• Update the terrible light fixtures (Haven't decided what I want yet)
• New sofas...someday!